Changing port–city relations at Amsterdam: A new phase at the interface?

• Published in: Journal of transport geography Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 575 - 583
• Main Authors: Wiegmans, Bart W., Louw, Erik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2011
• Subjects: Geography; Policies; Port development; Ports; Port–city interface; Redevelopment; Regulation; Retarding; Spatial development; Transport; Netherlands, Noord-Holland, Amsterdam; Netherlands; Netherlands, Noord-Holland, Amsterdam, Port of Amsterdam; Regulation; Spatial development; Port development; Port–city interface
• ISSN: 0966-6923; 1873-1236
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2010.06.007

In this paper, we investigate whether a new phase in port–city development is emerging. We have done this by analysing the scientific literature on present and future spatial developments of the port of Amsterdam in the Netherlands in terms of the spatial and environmental policies and the viewpoints of port firms. It appears that in the Port of Amsterdam, but also in other ports, the expansion pace of the port area is slowing down, while at the same time the city is expanding in the direction of the port at an increasing speed. In the beginning, this conflict was rather passive, in the sense that the conflict was about
how the redevelopment should take place. However, the conflict has evolved further to questioning
whether any redevelopment should take place. This implies that a new phase in the development of the port–city interface has emerged.